This invention relates generally to a multiple-unit medication container including several unit-dose compartments and more particularly to such a container wherein the unit-dose compartments are formed in a removable liner and sealed by separate full skirted covers.
U.S. Pharmacopeia XX defines unit-dose container as a single-unit container for articles intended for administration by other than the parenteral route as a single dose, direct from the container. A single-unit container is defined as one that is designed to hold a quantity of drug intended for administration as a single dose or a single finished device intended for use promptly after the container is opened. Accordingly, each compartment of a multiple-unit container must meet the above definitions in order to be used in compliance with current federal regulations.
Several such containers have been previously proposed such as those disclosed in Halbich, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,253,572 and Keffeler, 4,372,445. Whereas the Halbich container has covers which are intended to provide an airtight closure for the individual compartments, the lack of any direct connection between each individual compartment cover and the container itself leaves that container susceptible to undetected displacement of the entire cover assembly for removal of medication from the compartments. The medication dispenser of the inventor's own prior U.S. Pat. No. 4,372,445 provides a direct connection between each compartment cover and the container, but, like Halbich, allows the medication to contact the reusable container.
A reusable medication container is advantageous for greatly reducing the labor required for packaging medication since patient identification and dispensing directions can be secured to the container for reuse with each refill. Undesirable features of prior reusable containers, however, include medication contamination by dust in the container and possible cross contamination by previous medication.
Another problem associated with medication containers is that air and moisture deteriorate certain medications. Pills are not placed in individual tamperproof containers for economical reasons but, with many pills stored in a single container, the removal of one pill admits air and moisture to all of the others.
Other problems and objectives for medication containers include providing truly tamperproof compartments for foolproof monitoring of the dispensed medications and limiting the quantity of pills in the container so that the patient is assured of receiving fresh medication in accordance with a prescription which is regularly reviewed by the patient's doctor at each refilling of the container. These and other problems are believed to be resolved by the medication dispenser of the invention.
A primary object of the invention therefore, is to provide an improved medication dispensing container.
Another object is to provide a medication dispensing container with a multicompartment disposable liner for sanitary storage of the medication.
Another object is to provide a multi-compartment medication dispenser wherein the closure for the individual compartments provides an air-tight seal.
Another more specific object is to provide such a dispenser wherein the air-tight seal is formed by a full skirt on each compartment cover being received within a peripheral channel surrounding each compartment.
Another object is to provide a medication dispenser having truly tamperproof unit-dose compartments.
Another object is to provide a medication dispensers with various numbers of compartments which thereby assures freshness of the medication and review of the prescription upon each refill.
Another object of the invention is to provide a medication dispenser which is economical to manufacture, durable in use and refined in appearance.